This Blog is for the purpose of keeping family, friends and prayer warriors informed on the status of our son Luke. It is a journal of the Searles family journey after the drowning accident of their 17 month old son Luke, who drowned in their back yard pool on August 30, 2004. He was dead for at least 40 minutes before God brought him back to life. Please continue to join with us in prayer for the complete restoration of his brain and body.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Off the ventilator

Luke has remained off of the ventilator since yesterday evening and is doing well. He is able to breath on his own without the need for oxygen. He still requires suctioning to maintain his airway. Please continue to pray that God will heal his ability to cough and swallow.

Daniel is off to school this evening. Sue and I will be attending a dinner and orientation at GTC in Centrailia where Daniel will be going to a school of ministry. Please pray that we will all be able to take this change (our oldest leaving home) with stride and that God will provide peace to all of us.

24 comments:

GO Luke....We will continue to pray that God will heal Lukes ability to cough and swallow...each day...

I was away from my computer for a few days and was so encouraged to see that the surgery went well and that Luke was off the ventilator...One step at a time is what it takes....So Today I am Thanking God for Luke and his ability to breath on his own.

I am also Thanking God for the many lives that have been touched through Lukes life and situation...Gordy and Sue you and your entire family are making a differnece for GOD through this....It has incredibly touched my life and many many others.

Praying your day is peaceful and that God would bring you Joy today and Bless you.

Gordy I can only imagine what a fine young man Daniel must be, to have been raised with a Daddy and Mommy like you. I will be praying for all these adjustments for ALL of you. Daniel we send you off with...Jeremiah 29:11-13Will continue to pray for precious Luke and the need for a productive cough and swallowing. Love to all of you, CF

PTL! for Luke's progress. I will be praying for all of you as you walk through this new transition. May you have His peace as you let this "big bird" leave the nest. Daniel I know God has given you many good Words over the years, and now you get to draw on His character in your life as you head out in this ministry and experience first hand where the "rubber meets the road".

Oh Sue & Gordy:I'm so happy for Luke, we will keep praying that his swallowing returns,I can hardly believe what a man Daniel is!! Wow!! He's not a squirrely little boy anymore! :-) , where does time go? God Bless ~JulieWard:-)

I am praising God for what He has done in Luke. I do thank Him for luke's breathing. I will continue to pray for the complete restoration in Luke. As for Danial, what a young man. He has positivaly influnanced Johnathon to seek God more. Your son is a blessing to us, and we also will feel his absence, but knowing that God is using Danial for His glory brings a great happiness to us. Again I ask that God will continue to pour out His blessing on you family. ~ With His Perfect Love Bob Hart

Dear Searles Family,I look forward to meeting you at the GTC meeting tonight at Destiny CC in Centralia! I have been praying for you and following the updates on Luke several times a day since it started. My son completed two years of GTC (then Master's Commission) and now we are housing a student in our home for this year. It is a remarkable program and I am so thrilled to know that your son will be here! I can't even tell you the impact the program and the excellent leadership has had on my son. I feel a bond with your family already after spending so much time in prayer for Luke and the rest of you, and now look forward to getting to know Daniel as part of the Destiny family! God Bless, Tammy Calkins

Not sure if this is the appropriate string to post on, but couldn't find a private email so I'll just post here. I am Kim Tarr's little sister, one of the Rideout's who used to go to church at Living way with the Millers (I remember being picked up for church in the Miller's Vanagon on Sunday mornings when my Dad had to work). Sue, you were nice enough to let me do a Cutco presentation for you some time ago and then I agreed to sell Mary Kay but never followed through (Sorry, I've matured alot since 1990).

Anyway, since hearing about Luke from Kim I have been praying several times a day and following the blogs.

I live only a few blocks from Mary Bridge in the north end and have just felt led to offer up my home for the remainder of the time that Luke is at Mary Bridge.

I have a wonderful jetted tub, and if it is just for a relaxing bath or a hot meal or a base of operations whatever. My home is available to you. Please email me at smidts@comcast.net if you would like to take us up on it.

Dear Searles Family: I was away for the week-end and missed some of the updates. But, I was thrilled today to read that Luke is breathing on his own.And, I know it is hard to have Daniel leave home. (I just did that last year with Tiffany) But, Daniel leaving for a ministry school is just another testament to the fact that you are awesome parents. He will go on to be a great man of God outside your home and will be able to share his life and testimony with people you will never meet. Seeing our children grow up and love God is the greatest blessing a parent can ever have. You have achieved that. Congratulations. I will continue to pray for sweet Luke and that even though his healing is coming slowly...it will be continual and steady. I will also remember the entire extended family for strength and wisdom as you travel this new road Luke. You have touched each of us on this blog with your faith and honesty. God is using your family during this difficult time to minister to others. You will never know the healing and encouragement that you are giving to others by reaching out and sharing your story. I have always known that the Searles family was a awesome, but you have proved it over and over again in the past two weeks. Much love, Michelle

Way to go Luke!!! I was exercising today, didn't really want to be there and wanted to quit early when the Lord reminded me of you Luke. You don't really want to be there either but it is where you need to be for now. I dug in and had a great workout and prayed for you all as I did it. Daniel you are a neat young man and it's hard to believe that you're ready to go off, leave the nest,etc. Wow time flies! We love you all, Jeff, Sue, Zach and Seth

Hello Little Luke!!!! I am so proud that you are doing so well. We still need you to do some coughing. Daniel, blessings to you as you start a new part of your life. Lukes Mom and Dad, I just wanted to share something that as I look back on it...it seems sorda funny now. When I had my first son(5th child), ( his name is Daniel too) he had Gastroschisis ( intestines on the outside of his body)anyway after he was born he had to have surgery to fix the problems. After he had the surgery the last thing on the list of many that he had to do to get home was to poop! We had people all over the world praying that out son would poo poo! God was so faithful to let him poop. It became a joke after he got home that God could slow it down a little (smile). I know that God can allow Little Luke to cough! We will keep asking . God bless you both...you guys do have so much going on. Blessings and prayers from Shane, Julie and children in NC

Every day I come to the blog to see not only how is Luke doing but the rest of the family as well. To read the expressions of caring and faith that people share. What a marvel. Daniel, what can I say about a man whose smile can fill a room and your heart. We are so fortunate to have you as a nephew and excited for you as you start a new chapter in your life. Love always, Pam, Hal, Carl and Paul

Dear Family, That is wonderful news and I Thank God for it. I am sure that the gift of healing has only just begun for little Luke. I think what your Son Daniel is doing is wonderful and I will keep him in my heart also as he starts his journey away from you. Sounds like you all are learning what you have to do and I am relieved to hear it. I think about you ALL still and you are in my family's prayers constantly.Much Love, Melanee Hart - Rogers, AR

Gordy, Sue & Family,We have been away from home for several days and just returned this afternoon. We have been keeping up with Luke's progress as we took our laptop with us and checked the website often. We are so thankful for his strides and for the watchful eye of the Lord on all of you. Congratulations to Daniel - we are so proud of you and always amazed at what a fine young man you have grown to be! We send hugs to you all and continue to pray for more good news each day. We love you.Blessings,Auntie Rena & Uncle Joe

To Luke and Family. Here at the Lakewood Fire Dept, we have been keeping a close eye on Luke's condition and progress since responding to your home two weeks ago. You have been in our daily thoughts and prayers, and will continue to remain in our hearts as one of the main reasons we are here. We are all pulling for you Luke. We'll continue praying for you and your family. Get well soon, and come by and visit.See you soon,Jeff, Steve, Eric, Dan, and Travis...The crews of LFD Engine-213, Medic-232 and the rest of LFD

Just another post from the EAST coast... from your friends in Georgia! Way to go, Luke!!! We are praying that he will cough more! Praying for you also as you make this new change as Daniel leaves... our Michael left last year and also feels called to the ministry. God is faithful. I am praying for you Sue... as you send him off. Michael is about 2 hours from us so we see each other at church and he comes home some. I do not know how far Daniel will be. Thanks for posting and keeping us up to date. May God give you strength and a restful night.Blessings,Billy, Teena, Michael 19, Mandi 15, Dakota 11, Alyssa 7, Wyatt 2 1/2, Wesley 14 months

The Hunger family is still praying for a full recovery for Luke. It has been such an inspiration hearing that he is getting a little better each day. We just pray for him and all your family Sue and Gordy. Like others have said on this site, hearing your story just makes the daily things we go through seem so trivial and puts things in perspective. Praise the Lord

You are in my continual prayers for strength & encouragement. For life goes on and changes are hard enough by themselves. Daniel is such in awesome man of God and a delight to all he meets. I am glad he gets to come home for the week-ends and that he didn’t go really far away now. May he be as great a blessing to where he has gone, as he is at home.

May the Lord's blessing and strength be multiplied to you,Lots of love, Your big sis, Cindy

And He (Jesus) was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had open the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,To preach deliverance to the captives And recovery of the sight to the blind,To set at liberty those who are oppressed’To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book and gave it to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek for Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord,…